Local Blogger of the Week: Anke from Royal Tunbridge Wells

In the second of our features on local bloggers from around the country, this week I’m delighted to be interviewing Anke, author of “Anke: Royal Tunbridge Wells”, a blog that’s bursting with fabulous photos and fascinating local history.

(photo courtesy of Anke)

How long have you been writing your blog?

Since October 2005. Wow! Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun?

What first got you started?

Having such a love for the town I live in, I just wanted to try and share how great it was with everyone.

What are your favourite things about the area?

I discover new things and places all the time. It’s the town that keeps on giving.

What kinds of things do you tend to write about?

Usually things of an historical nature, and I try to relate something historical with something that has happened today. For instance, reading about something in the local paper and then researching and writing about the origins of the newspaper in the blog post.

Has blogging changed your relationship with your local community? How?

Definitely. My blog is very well known about town and apparently is quite influential. Even our local MP writes to me and loves to read it. It has brought me into contact with lots of wonderful local people and has also lead to me editing a local newsletter. It’s really nice to be told by people that I am generating an interest in the town and bringing tourists in. That makes me very proud.

Are there any other local bloggers you’d recommend?

There used to be Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells, who was the exact opposite of me. He’d blog about the poor things about our town whilst I blogged about the nice things. He’s gone now though, which is a shame. Another very popular local blogger is Clare Grant from Three Beautiful Things (http://threebeautifulthings.blogspot.com/) who writes three things everyday that make her happy.

Do you have any tips for writing a local blog?

Yes. Try and give your readers some form of participation in the posts, whether its to get them to visit something or even to just think about a subject in a different light. It really encourages people to stick with you. I’ve had some wonderful feedback from readers that base their day off around what I’ve posted about previously.

Your blog posts suggest you have a keen interest in local history. Has blogging helped you develop that interest?

Absolutely. I have always had a little interest in history, and researching what to blog about has really made that into a nice little hobby. If I hadn’t of started my blog I wouldn’t have bought my historic books and learnt so much. It’s just so interesting once you start delving in that you’ll see your familiar surroundings in a new light.

You have some wonderful photos on your blog. Is there one in particular that sums up something you like about Tunbridge Wells and would you mind if I include it?

Thanks for the compliment. It’s hard to put Tunbridge Wells into one image because its so different and diverse. Although this image is from my favourite post of all. It’s taken from my October Hurricane of 1987 post which took me weeks to research and write. I also created images of what the places looked like just after the hurricane and today.

So far, what’s been the best thing about writing your blog?

It makes me get outside and discover new things so that I can write about them.

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Thank you, Anke!

To find out more about Tunbridge Wells, read Anke’s blog or visit the Localmouth homepage for Tunbridge Wells